Get 50,000 bonus miles and a 0% intro APR with one of the best travel cards around

The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard comes with many perks, but also an $89 annual fee. Some of the highlights include: 50,000 bonus miles if you meet the spending criteria, a no-interest balance transfer offer for the first 12 months, no foreign transaction fees and other travel benefits.

As always with a rewards card, compare the costs against the benefits to determine if this is the right card for you.

The interest-free period on purchases is the period or number of days you do not have to pay interest on your card purchases. You will be charged interest either from the day you make a purchase or from the statement date, unless you pay the closing balance in full by the due date (or within the interest-free period) on your statement.

Up to 23 days

Returned Payment Fee

$0

Foreign Currency Conversion Fee (MC)

Foreign currency conversion fees are charged when you make a transaction that is converted by a credit card network, such as MasterCard, Visa or American Express, from Australian dollars to a foreign currency. You’ll also incur a currency conversion fee if you make a purchase or obtain a cash advance in Australian dollars while overseas or shopping online with a foreign merchant or financial institution.

Why is the Arrival Plus such a good choice? Simple: It offers strong, consistent rewards. Whereas other cards offer accelerated rewards only in select categories, the Arrival Plus brings great earnings no matter what you buy. You’ll earn 2x miles on every purchase, and there’s no cap on how much you can earn. As a bonus, you’ll get 5% miles back each time you redeem.

Rewards in the long run

The Arrival Plus isn’t flashy, but it may bring you the most rewards in the long run.

For reward earnings, the Barclaycard Arrival Plus isn’t the sexiest card out there. It simply offers 2 miles per dollar you spend on anything.

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 2x points on travel and dining, and 1x points on all other spending. Also, you’ll get a 25% point boost when you redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

The Sapphire Preferred’s rewards structure sounds more fun, and you may think it’s obviously more valuable because of its point boost. But before choosing it, dig deeper and consider your spending.

Do you eat out a lot or spend often on travel? Then the Sapphire Preferred could edge out the Arrival Plus. If you don’t, however, you may earn fewer rewards with the Sapphire Preferred. That’s because you’ll mostly earn 1x points through your day-to-day spending. In the latter case, the Arrival Plus wins handily.

No, the Arrival Plus isn’t flashy. But it earns big, and it does so consistently. For many consumers, the card will deliver better rewards in the long run.

If that sounds enticing, picking up the Arrival Plus could be an easy decision. That’s thanks in part to its 50,000-mile signup bonus, which is worth a cool $500 in travel statement credit. The card’s $89 annual fee is waived for the first year too, and you can take advantage of a 0.00% balance transfer APR for 12 months.

The Arrival Plus doesn’t sit in the upper echelons of the travel card market, home to powerhouses like the AMEX Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve. That’s to be expected, since it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars a year. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t facilitate luxury travel — it is, after all, a World Elite Mastercard.

Carrying a World Elite card offers considerable advantages. For starters, you’ll receive exclusive amenities at Mastercard Luxury Hotels & Resorts properties. You’ll also get great deals on air travel, cruises, vacation tours, car rentals and even chauffeured car service and private jets. And, of course, you’ll have access to Mastercard hotlines: Personal travel advisors and emergency assistance are just a call away.

That’s an impressive set of luxury benefits, especially for a card that costs >$89 a year. If you’re not quite ready for expensive picks like the UBS Visa Infinite or Mastercard Black Card, strongly consider the Barclaycard Arrival Plus. You may find it’s the only travel card you’ll ever need.

The Perks

INTRO ANNUAL FEE: $0 for the first year. Pay no annual fee for your first year. Afterward, the annual fee reverts to $89.

SIGNUP BONUS: Lots of miles. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days.

MILES: Earn more miles on all purchases. Earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases. There’s no cap on the miles you can earn, and miles don’t expire.

Redeeming miles

The Barclaycard Arrival Plus is one of the most flexible travel cards you’ll find. You can redeem miles for statement credit in categories such as:

Airlines

Hotels

Motels

Timeshares

Car rental agencies

Cruise lines

Purchase and travel agencies

Discount travel sites

Trains

Buses

Taxis

Limousines

Ferries

Intro balance transfer APR. Each balance transfer posted to your account within the first 45 days will have a 0% APR for 12 months. After 12 months, the APR will revert to 16.99%–23.99% variable, depending on your credit.

Eligibility criteria:

What are my chances of getting the card?

You can get almost any card if you have at least a good credit score of 680 or higher. However, Barclays Bank is more selective than other lenders. When you apply for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus, aim to have an excellent credit score of 720 or higher.

If you don’t qualify for the World Elite version of the card, you may be given the Platinum version instead. The Platinum has fewer features — for example, it doesn’t have concierge services or luxury hotel benefits.

To increase your chances of being approved for the Arrival Plus World Elite, keep your credit utilization ratio low and avoid hard pulls on your credit immediately before applying.

What's a hard pull?

A hard pull occurs when a lender checks your credit report after you apply for credit. (For example, when you apply for a mortgage or a credit card.) This can lead to a drop in your credit score.

Frequently asked questions

If you have questions about Barclaycard credit cards, get in touch with us at anytime.

Will I know for sure what my card’s APR will be before I apply?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to know what APR you’ll receive until your application is approved. The best you can do is find the range of rates you might receive; for example, with the Barclaycard Visa with Apple Rewards, you’ll have an APR of 16.99%–23.99% variable. Of course, the better your credit, the better your chances of receiving a favorable interest rate.

What is my Barclaycard credit card monthly statement?

Each month, you’ll receive a summary of the transactions you’ve made with your card. You’ll see purchases you’ve made and whether you’ve accrued rewards or points with your card. By default, you’ll get your statements via mail, but you can sign up for paperless online statements.

What should I know about my Barclaycard credit card’s interest charges?

As with all credit cards, it’s a good idea to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid accruing interest. With Barclaycard, you may not be charged interest if you pay off your balance by your monthly due date. If you are charged interest, you’ll be assessed at least $0.

Does Barclaycard require a minimum credit score to apply?

How does Barclaycard protect me from fraud?

Barclaycard features SecurPass, a verification method to confirm your identity whenever your account is accessed. You’ll also receive fraud text alerts when there is suspicious activity on your card. Barclaycard also offers $0 fraud liability protection, which means you are not responsible for unauthorized purchases made with your card.

Does Barclaycard offer a mobile app?

Yes, Barclaycard offers a free mobile app. Use it to access your account, track your spending, see your current balance, pay bills and even transfer balances.

If I’ve had the card before, can I get the signup bonus again?

No. You can only earn the signup bonus if this is your first time as a Barclaycard Arrival Plus cardholder.

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